By Sue-Ann Wayow
A FLAP GATE valued at $200,000 has been stolen which could result in the city of Port-of-Spain being flooded out on the eastern end.
Minister of Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan toured the area where the flap gate was stolen on Tuesday.
The gate was stolen along the East Dry River and it was noted by ministry officials that a coordinated effort was possibly needed to remove the gate that weighs almost one metric tonne (1,000 kilogrammes).
The Ministry of Works and Transport also filed a police report on Tuesday.
Speaking to the media at the Abattoir Road/Sea Lots Pump Station, Sinanan said, “To see this happening here is really heart-breaking because we just did a project from Hilton all the way down changing all the flap gates that cost us around $2.2 million.
“To come and see this now and to realise that if the water just rises in this river, it is going to be chaos for thousands of people coming in and out of Port-of-Spain and the people in the area.”
With the thousands affected across the board by flooding last week, he said in some cases the public can blame those who steal and vandalise government’s property for the flooding as it was not the first time, such infrastructure was interfered with.
Sinanan said, “We spent about $20 million on the pump at the lighthouse, that pump worked perfectly until it was vandalised and since it was vandalised, we have seen flooding again on South Quay.”
Acting Director of Drainage Katherine Badloo-Doerga further explained what could happen with the floodgate being stolen.
She said, “With that flap gate missing, what that now means is that the water, once the St Ann’s River rises, will back up to the Beetham Highway, the Central Market and Picadilly. This is the same drain that brings water out of those areas and now that we don’t have a flap gate to keep the water from going in, it will be a serious problem when we get heavy rains.”
Badloo-Doerga said another gate will have to relocated which could time as they have to be ordered and shipped in and could cost around $300,000.
